DNC Coverage Boosts TV One Ratings

9/03/2008 11:48 AM Eastern

By: By R. Thomas Umstead

African-American targeted network TV One drew more than 2.65 million viewers for its four-day, combined primetime and late-night coverage of the Democratic National Convention last month, the network announced Wednesday.

The network’s 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET DNC Live show that aired from Aug. 25-28 drew 2.2 million African-American viewers, according to network officials. The show featured live coverage of all the major DNC speeches as well as presentations by and interviews with 33 members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other political officials and entertainers.

DNC Live’s Aug. 25 coverage of Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech during the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. hour drew a 4.4 rating in African-American households, second only to CNN in the demographic for the hour among ad-supported networks.

The network’s late night TV One Live: DNC After Party averaged more than 1.3 million viewers and more than 1.3 million African-American viewers over the four day period. That show, anchored by veteran television and radio news reporter and anchor Jacque Reid, provided a uniquely African American cultural perspective on the events of the day.

“We believed for posterity’s sake that TV One needed to be on hand for this historic event, and it’s incredibly gratifying to see that our audience recognized and responded to our decision to be there and to offer an African American cultural perspective to the events of the day,” said TV One President and CEO Johnathan Rodgers said in a statement.